Portable electrical highway signal



E. V. RIVERS PORTABLE ELECTRICAL HIGHWAY SIGNAL Aug. 29, 1950 Filed Nov. 8, 1948 25 Zinpentor fowneo M Elm/126 Gltorneg Patented Aug. 3 29, 1950 PORTABLE ELECTRICAL HIGHWAY SIGNAL Edward Victor Rivers, Bothell, Wash.

Application lqovember s, 1948, Serial No 58,821

2 Claimsf (Cl. 177329) This invention relates to light signaling devices of those kinds used for traffic control or regulation, as warning and boundary lights on highways or at landing fields and for various other uses; it being the principal object of this invention to provide a simplified, safe, effective and relatively inexpensive signaling lamp that is electrically operated and which uses a gaseous filament tube, commonly referred to as a "neon tube," as the light emitting element.

It is also an object of the invention to provide v a lamp, or signal of the above character, employing a gaseous filament tube as the light emitting element, that can be operated off of a, small dry cell storage battery.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a signal lamp that is of such compact and satisfactory design that it can be easily carried and used substantially in the same manner as a flare or lantern.

Another object of the invention is to embody the ideas of the present invention in 'a traflic signal of a type especially suitable for use at street crossings used Dy-school children.

Still further objects of the invention reside in the details of construction and combination of parts, in a preferred and in modified forms, and in the mode of use of such devices, as will hereinafter be fully described.

In accomplishing the above and other objects of the invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms oi. which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a signal lamp embodied by the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the same.

Fig. -3 is a horizontal cross-section of the lamp housing.

Fig. 4 is a diagram for the electric wiring and circuits of the lamp shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental sectional detail of the lamp in a vertical plane.

Fig. 6 is a fragmental sectional detail of construction.

Referring more in detail to the drawings The present device, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, comprises a cylindrical, bucket-like housing Ill made of a suitable material, preferably sheet metal. This housing is closed at its lower end by a suitable wall or closure II and is equipped at its upper end with a closure l2 of disk-like form, made of wood, or other suitable material; the disk being removably applied to or fitted in the upper end of the housing and secured by a plurality of screws I3 applied through the rim of the housing and into edge edge of the-closure [2, as shown best in Fig. 6.

Mounted on the closure I2 is a continuous glass tube is ,which is sealed and filled with a gas such as neon, and is equipped at its opposite ends with suitable electrodes, as indicated at IS in Fig. 5, for energizing the lamp. In the present instance, the tube is formed into two arcuate crossed portions l5al5b, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the tube, as mounted on the disk I2, is enclosed within a semi-spherical protective dome 20 of transparent plastic; the dome being fitted over and about the rim of the housing, as best shown in Fig. 1, and may be held by screws applied through its periphery and into the disk l2, as in Fig.6.

The source of supply of electrical energy for the lamp comprises a storage battery contained within the bottom, portion of the housing. At present, I am using a six-volt dry cell battery as designated at 22. Adjacent thereto is a device known generally as a flasher, designated at 23, and associated with these parts is a high tension coil transformer designated generally by reference numeral 24.

As illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 4, the coil comprises a core 25 with primary and secondary windings 26 and 21. The secondary wind-- ing has opposite end connections with the electrodes at opposite ends of the lamp tube. The primary winding is connected at one end with one side of the battery 22, and at its other end to the coil vibrator arm 3|. An electrical connection 32 leads from the other side of the battery 22 to one side of the flasher 23, which has its other side connected through a control switch 34 with the contact screw 36 associated with the vibrator arm 3|.

When the switch '34 is closed, the coil circuit is intermittently closed by the flasher through the primary winding of the coil and thus, through the secondary winding, the lamp circuit is closed and the lamp energized.

The operation of the lamp comprises intermittent flashes of light emanatin from the tube l5 as it is energized under control of the flasher 23.

It is to be explained further that the housing III has an inside lining of a non-conductive material such as rubber or the like, designated by numeral 40 in Figs. 3 and 6. Also, for convenience in carrying or handling the lamp, it is equipped with a bale-type handle 42.

The switch 34 which controls the circuit is 01 erated by a button 45 shown as being extended through a side wall of the housing l0.

Signal lamps of this kind are relatively inexpensive to manufacture and operate. Furthermore, they are easy to transport from place to placeand very effectively serve their intended purposes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A signal lamp comprising a housin of bucket-like character, having an upper end wall and a transparent, dome-like cover, a tubular gaseous filament lamp supported upon said upper end wall beneath said dome. and having terminal electrodes within the housing, a storage battery contained in the base of the housing, a high tension coil transformer with vibrator element and a flasher containedin the housing; said coil having its primary circuit winding connected in circuit with the battery in series with the vibrator element of the coil, the flasher and the switch, and having its secondary circuit connected at its ends with the terminals of said lamp tube.

2. A portable signal lamp comprising a housing of bucket-like character, equipped with a carrying bale and havin a closure wall fitted to and removably secured in the upper end of the housing, a tubular gaseous filament lamp supported from and extending above said closure wall and having terminal electrodes extended through the wall into said housing, a transparent, protective dome fitted to the housing over the lamp, 9. storage battery contained in the housing a high tension coil transformer with vibrator element and a flasher switch contained-in the housing; said coil having its primary circuit winding connected in circuit with the battery in series with the vibrator element of the coil and the flasher switch and havin its secondary circuit connected at its ends with the terminals of said lamp tube, and a circuit control switch interposed in the primary circuit and mounted in a wall of said housing for actuation from the exterior thereof.

EDWARD VICTOR RIVEBS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are 01' record in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA'IfENTS Number Name Date 1,951,431 Meehan Mar. 20, 1934 2,025,235 Gonsett Dec. 24, 1935 2,106,643 Mellen et a1. Jan. 25, 1938 2,128,800 Chinskey Aug. 30, 1938 2,201,657 Westlund May 21, 1940 

